Teamwork Bingo

Teamwork Bingo

August 14, 2011

Hi Fellow Ladybug Fans!

I am so excited to have been asked to guest blog for Kristen. I’m Jodi and I run The Clutter-Free Classroom (a blog focused on classroom organization and management). Today I am going to share one of my favorite classroom tools and some free printables for your classroom.

I must start by saying this is not my original idea. I actually first heard of this while conducting an interview. The job candidate was fresh out of student teaching and shared some things that her cooperating teacher had used. I loved the idea so much that I tried it in my classroom and it is now one of my favorite ways to reinforce positive behavior.

It’s called Teamwork Bingo.

And as the name implies, it encourages the students to work together.

Here’s how it works. We display a hundred chart and preselect a “prize.” An annual favorite is a night off from homework, but we’ve also used extra recess time, extra computer lab, and a movie as our goals. We write the prize we are working towards directly on the chart.

When the class works as a team (cleaning the classroom, quickly settling in for a lesson, quietly getting snacks from lockers, etc) or when the class receives a compliment from another adult in the building, they get to “draw a number.”

I use a Crystal Lite container (and have included a label for such in the free printable set) to hold the number cards, but you can use any type of container that you can’t see through. Upon drawing a number, we color that square in on our hundred chart.

The object is to get 10 consecutive squares either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

The kiddos take great pride in collaborating to earn a number and this system really helps to build our community. There are no negative consequences attached to it. Once they earn a number it stays colored on the chart.

Some Tips & Ideas:

Display the hundred chart on a clipboard with a highlighter attached. This makes it easier for the students to color the squares in.

Attach a plastic zip-top baggy to the back of the clipboard with packing tape for the discarded numbers.

I keep a class list under the chart on my clipboard. When the class earns a number the next person on the list gets to draw the card and shade the box. He/She then highlights his/her name on the list so we know who is next.

Inform coworkers about your system to encourage them to give the class as a whole compliments.

If you have young children of your own, this is a great tool to use at home. I have a 6 year old son and while we have never really had to institute any type of “behavior plan” we wanted to acknowledge the positive choices he makes. I printed a partially filled in chart for him and we tell him to pick a number when we notice he has gone above and beyond what is expected of him. Because the chart is partially filled in we are able to talk a lot about the patterns on the chart. It’s been so exciting to experience those “light bulb moments” when he’s noticed that “all the numbers in this row have a 5 in the tens place.”

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15 Comments

Thank you Jodi!! I love both of these web sites. I love this idea! I teach kindergarten and though they may need more help to complete the chart, following the directions, one thing I know they will understand is working toward a reward!

Hi Jodi. This is fabulous! I think it could even be adapted to a much smaller chart for subs to use:) I just love that it is a cooperative classroom management tool … how awesome! Thanks so much for sharing!! Hope you have a wonderful week ahead.TinaGood Morning Mrs Rubie

Thanks, Jodi! I do this on a large pocket hundreds chart, but I love the clipboard idea, so I just downloaded your little printable. Enjoy the rest of your summer! It's back to school for me tomorrow! : )

This is brilliant! I teach English to a rather difficult class who are out to break each other down more than lift each other up. This might be our ticket to achieving some success! I will talk to their Form Teacher and see what they think. THANKS!!!✪ Liam ✪Twist of Liam